Lost Luggage Woes

[anamari]

Hi, our newspaper here in Miami has run several stories in the last few days about the increased number of lost luggage in the past 6 months. It has mentioned British Airways as the airline with the highest number of lost bags, specially if flying through Heathrow. We are leaving on September 6th from New York (JFK) to Budapest via London/Heathrow and are definitely going to add AMEX luggage insurance just in case.

 

Has anyone encountered these problems this summer? Also, if flown on British Airways, is it true only 1 carry-on, does that include the purse or is it one carry-on plus purse?

 

If anyone is on the Avalon Artistry on the 9th of September, let me know.

 

Thanks.

[sk8teacher]

Also, if flown on British Airways, is it true only 1 carry-on, does that include the purse or is it one carry-on plus purse?QUOTE]

 

From the British Airways website:

 

UK Department for Transport restrictions relating to size and number of cabin bags

 

Restrictions relating to the size and number of bags allowed through security search remain in place for all air travellers departing a UK airport.

Passengers must comply with UK Department for Transport restrictions, which are:

ONE cabin bag, no bigger than 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm (approximately 22 inches x 17.5 inches x 9.85 inches).

In addition, customers may now carry musical instruments through security search provided they can be x-ray screened.

 

Customers transferring onto an onward flight in the UK (domestic and international) must also comply with UK Department for Transport restrictions, which are:

ONE cabin bag, no bigger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (approximately 22 inches x 17.5 inches x 9.85 inches).

 

Important: Any other bags such as a handbag (purse) would count as one additional piece of hand baggage - therefore this item would need either placing inside your main piece of hand baggage or checking-in, when departing from or transferring through the UK.

 

Cheers,

[WIT]

Hi, our newspaper here in Miami has run several stories in the last few days about the increased number of lost luggage in the past 6 months. It has mentioned British Airways as the airline with the highest number of lost bags, specially if flying through Heathrow. We are leaving on September 6th from New York (JFK) to Budapest via London/Heathrow and are definitely going to add AMEX luggage insurance just in case.

 

Has anyone encountered these problems this summer? Also, if flown on British Airways, is it true only 1 carry-on, does that include the purse or is it one carry-on plus purse?

 

If anyone is on the Avalon Artistry on the 9th of September, let me know.

 

Thanks.

Anamari - We have been through Heathrow six times in the last couple years, most recently last December. Requirements then were one carry-on which would also hold one's purse, camera bag, cell phone AND the small zip lock bag with your liquids. You will be removing (from the one bag) your laptop and any other electronics or instruments for separate passage through X-ray. Belt, coat, jacket, shoes, contents of your pockets & hat go in another tray to be X-rayed. Occasionally I have forgotten to empty my coat pockets containing keys without incident.

[cs91]

Anamari,

Check out my recent response to Emmylou re: BA

As far as the carry-on, yes, they enforce it but only prior to security scan. They will allow you to put your purse inside your carry-on but it needs to fit inside fairly well. Once you reach the scanning, you can remove your purse.

Good luck and enjoy,

[gg3]

Re: worries about lost luggage. Be sure to put two ID tags on the outside of your luggage, because often, we have had one torn off. Also try and use tags with sturdy leather loops, thick plastic, or chains, not the thin stretchy plastic. Lastly, be sure and put your name, address, phone, cell phone, destination (inclu. pre and post cruise info), and full intinerary stapled on the inside flap or lid of your luggage........each piece of your luggage, including your carry on. We also put business cards inside our camera cases, and binnocular cases. gg

[skandls]

We flew into Heathrow for our June 30 cruise and caught the Constellation at Dover. Coming home we flew from Copenhagen to Heathrow to Los Angeles. The Copenhagen to Heathrow was on British Air and the London to Los Angeles was on American. One of our bags was lost for 3 days by British Air. Lucky for us - it was on our trip home - it had all our formal wear.

 

We were allowed a personal item and a carryon flying into Heathrow but in London we had to consolidate into one carryon bag. I had read about this so I knew to leave room in the carryon for my purse. This consolidation caused problems for a lot of people - who then had to check one of their items.

[msmeltz]

We flew from Ft. lauderdale to Budapest through JFK. The Delta flight to take us to JFK was 2 hours late, and when we arrived at JFK we were told that the doors on the Delta flight to Budapest were closed and we would have to wait 24 hours for another flight.

We managed to get an Air France plane to Paris, changing there for a flight to Budapest. They took our luggage info , and they said they would get the luggage from Delta.

 

We arrived in Budapest...it was 105 degrees, and naturally no luggage. Our Avalon cruise director got on his computer, traced out luggage, and we got it about 36 hours later. It had gone on the Delta flight that was 24 hours later.

 

This year it doesn't seem to matter what airport....once you have to change planes....it becomes a problem.

They are good at tracing luggage now through the numbers on your receipt. Don't lose them.

[anamari]

I appreciate everybody's responses and tips. My husband and I have already packed and cross-packed. I will be printing our itineraries and contact info today to place inside our bags as someone recommended. We also have one carry on in which my purse fits into. So, I'm as ready as I can. One week from today and we are off for our first river cruise but we actually leave for New York on Sunday and spending 4 days with family there first.